Over the last couple of days delegates have been following the unfolding events in Egypt and Yemen and speculating on the wider significance across the region. I saw one man carrying his laptop open down the snowy street watching the news. Last night at Bono’s One party an earnest young Iranian American woman told me why she was convinced this was a tipping point for the whole region. Read more

I know there is a tendency to hear what you want to, and I’m clearly not disinterested, but it does seem possible that inequality and dealing with the world’s wrongs may have broken through the side-events into the mainstream this afternoon. Read more

Technology generally and social media specifically are pervasive in every session. The majority of entrepreneurs I talk to here have, in the last few years, grown huge global businesses usually in complicated layered relationships with other tech providers. Read more

So, what are people worrying about about? Mainly how to get to their next meeting in time! A little ironic in a place that is meant to be about shared reflection and thought-leadership. Missing the big picture while scurrying after the immediate opportunity could even be a metaphor for “the state of the world” that it is WEF’s mission to improve. Read more

While China has been dominating the news in the run up to this week’s event in Davos, it’s India that has been dominating my inbox. I, and presumably all the other delegates, have been invited to what must add up to a full schedule of colourful Indian networking events promoting India’s prowess in everything from cars to technology to music. India obviously sees an opportunity to influence “decision makers”. Meanwhile, I hope there will be a chance to influence India’s elite to do more to stop the needless deaths of 1.7 million children in India every year – the highest in any country. Read more

The World

with Gideon Rachman

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About Gideon

Commenting

Across the globe: Gideon Rachman and his FT colleagues debate international affairs.

Gideon became chief foreign affairs columnist for the Financial Times in July 2006. He joined the FT after a 15-year career at The Economist, which included spells as a foreign correspondent in Brussels, Washington and Bangkok. He also edited The Economist’s business and Asia sections.

His particular interests include American foreign policy, the European Union and globalisation.